PATCO cancels overnight rail schedule changes amid criticism

May 13, 2019

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — PATCO is canceling planned changes to its overnight rail schedule following criticism from riders and local officials who say they weren’t told of the changes before they were made public.

The regional rail carrier initially said the new “owl” schedules would take effect Monday, but then announced last week they would be delayed until June 1 so they could evaluate community feedback.

PATCO had planned to run fewer trains and close seven stations in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey under the new overnight schedule that would have put a police officer on each train. They said the changes were motivated by safety concerns.

Riders complained that PATCO should have given them advance notice of the changes, while elected leaders in some New Jersey towns said they opposed the station closures.